James is one of the UK’s leading policy advisors. He has operated at the highest levels of government, including as a Minister at the Department for Health & Social Care, as Director of the No.10 Policy Unit, and as an advisor to DHSC Ministers during the COVID-19 crisis. James is driven by the twin passions of bringing life-changing health innovations to patients and growing the UK’s life science & healthtech industries. As Minister his responsibilities included implementing the Life Science Industrial Strategy, delivering a new pricing scheme with the pharmaceutical industry, chairing the National Genomics Board, and driving the digital transformation of the NHS. He was also responsible for preparing the health and social care sectors for Brexit and helping to design the post-Brexit regulatory regime. James provides senior counsel to multinationals, SMEs, investors, universities and charities across health and life sciences, with a particular focus on technology, digital and data. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Global Health Innovation where he chairs the Data, Health & Wealth programme. Outside of health, James chairs the Repairing our Social Fabric programme at the think tank Onward, is a Member of the House of Lords, and has a keen interest in education reform.
